Patent SG-11201803621P-A (SG)
Title: Pre-cooling of natural gas by high pressure compression and expansion
Inventor: PIERRE FRITZ JR
IPC: F25J1/02
Filed: 2016-11-10
Abstract: INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 22 June 2017 (22.06.2017) WIPOIPCT (10) International Publication Number WO 2017/105687 A1 (51) International Patent Classification: F25J1/00 (2006.01) F25J1/02 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/US2016/061335 (22) International Filing Date: (25) Filing Language: (26) Publication Language 10 November 2016 (10.11.2016) (84) English English (30) Priority Data: 62/266,985 14 December 2015 (14.12.2015) US (71) Applicant: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY [US/US]; CORP-URC-E2.4A.296, 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway, Spring, TX 77389 (US). (72) Inventor; and (71) Applicant (for US only): PIERRE, Fritz Jr. [US/US]; 18011 Bayou Mead Trail, Humble, TX 77346 (US). (74) Agents: JENSEN, Nathan, O. et al.; ExxonMobil Up­ stream Research Company, CORP-URC-E2.4A.296, 22777 Springwoods Village Parkway, Spring, TX 77389 (US). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Declarations under Rule 4.17: — as to applicant's entitlement to apply for and be granted a patent (Rule 4.17(H)) — as to the applicant's entitlement to claim the priority of the earlier application (Rule 4.17(iii)) Published: — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) — before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of amendments (Rule 48.2(h)) (54) Title: PRE-COOLING OF NATURAL GAS BY HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION 00 in n O 100 112 (57) : A method of producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) is disclosed. A natural gas stream is provided from a supply of natural gas. The natural gas stream is compressed in at least two serially arranged compressors (102,112) to a pressure of at least 138 bara (2,000 psia) to form a compressed natural gas stream (114). The compressed natural gas stream is cooled (116) to form a cooled compressed natural gas stream (118). The cooled compressed natural gas stream is expanded in at least one work producing natural gas expander (120) to a pressure that is less than 207 bara (3,000 psia) and no greater than the pressure to which the at least two seri - ally arranged compressors compress the natural gas stream, to thereby form a chilled natural gas stream (122). The chilled natural gas stream is liquefied.